Art Deco Weekend: Vintage car tour of Napier

Let Teri Morales Probert take you on your first spin around town — and back in time — as she drives you past pastel-coloured theatres, buildings and houses decorated with iconic art deco and art nouveau ziggurat, sunburst and Egyptian column designs. READ MORE: Weekend getaway in Portland

Art Deco Weekend: The themed picnics

Image by: ELLE Canada
By: Christina Reynolds
Source: Nikki Marshall

The weekend is packed with themed picnics, dinners and dances from black-tie affairs to beach picnics to Depression-era dinners — there's even a death by chocolate event where you arrive via vintage hearse. READ MORE: Weekend getaway in Las Vegas

Art Deco Weekend: The Gatsby picnic

The weekend's height of planning and personal effort has to be the Gatsby picnic. The most ambitious picnickers set up movie-set-worthy displays (complete with period costumes). READ MORE: Inspiring Instagram accounts that make you want to travel

Art Deco Weekend: The fashion

While the predominant era of dress seen on the streets is from the '20s and '30s, the beauty of the weekend is that pretty much anything retro goes from flapper dresses and feathered headbands to immaculately styled '50s dresses and updos. READ MORE: A steamy jungle trek to Colombia's Lost City

Art Deco Weekend: The parade

More than 400 antique automobiles participate in the parade. Only pre-1946 vehicles deemed appropriate by the local Art Deco Trust receive permission to enter the downtown zone during the weekend. READ MORE: DJ Alex Merrell's travel must-haves

Art Deco Weekend: The architecture

Image by: ELLE Canada
By: Christina Reynolds
Source: Getty

Napier is one of the world's best-preserved art-deco meccas. Most of the city, including the Masonic Hotel (pictured here) was rebuilt following an earthquake and fire in 1931. READ MORE: Tales from an adventuress

Art Deco Weekend: Hawke's Bay wineries

Hawke's Bay is New Zealand's second largest wine region. Skip out of Art Deco Weekend for an afternoon to have lunch at one of the local wineries like Black Barn Vinyards (pictured). Follow that with a casual bike ride through the wine region. READ MORE: Explore Hawke's Bay and more on New Zealand's North Island